Foreign Secretaries S Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. PTI

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

India and Pakistan Foreign Secretaries here today finally resumed talks, in what was the first interaction between the neighbours after the Pathankot terror attacks in the first week of January.While India showed concern over terrorism as well as the Pathankot attacks, Pakistan harped on Kashmir.Islamabad also took up the arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav who, Pakistan alleges, is a RAW agent, a charge denied by India. Sources said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar even told his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry that no spy agency would put their agent in the field with their own passport and without a visa.India also pressed for immediate consular access to Yadav. What raised many eyebrows was the fact that Pakistan released a statement on the talks even while the meeting was in progress.In a meeting that lasted 90 minutes, Jaishankar told Chaudhry, “Terrorist groups based in Pakistan that are targeting India must not be allowed to operate with impunity.” He said Pakistan could not be in denial on the impact of terrorism on the bilateral relations.India also rebutted all allegations of its involvement in Balochistan. India pointed out that Yadav was an abducted naval officer, thus dismissing allegations of his being a spy. India said it needed early and visible progress on both Pathankot and 26/11 attacks.The Pakistan High Commission said that Chaudhry took up the issue of Yadav and expressed serious concern over RAW’s alleged involvement in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi. He also conveyed concern over efforts by Indian authorities for the release of the prime suspects of the Samjhauta Express blasts.